Abstract

khaki Arash

Quercetin is a well-known flavonoid and a strong antioxidant. Quercetin an important flavonoid possesses beneficial effects on health due to its antioxidant function. One mechanism of the antioxidant action of quercetin was involved in scavenging free radicals, such as superoxide radicals generated by xanthine and xanthine oxidase. To study the effect of quercetin on apoptosis and necrosis induced by 1 h ischemia followed by 1.5 h reperfusion. Adult Wistar rats underwent 1 h of partial liver ischemia followed by 1.5 h reperfusion. Eighteen Wistar rats were divided into sham-operated control group (I) (n = 10), ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) group (0.9 % saline (5 ml/kg, orally) for 14 days) (II) (n = 10), and quercetin group (15 mg/kg body weight daily orally for 14 days before inducing ischemia-reperfusion maneuver) (III)(n=10). Apoptotic and necrotic hepatocytes, nitric oxide levels in hepatocytes. Liver injury was assessed by plasma alanine transaminases (ALT), aspartate transaminases (AST), liver histopathology. An ischemic and reperfusion hepatocellular injury occurred as was indicated by increased serum ALT, AST, histopathology. Pretreatment with quercetin significantly decreased serum ALT and AST level and apoptotic and necrotic cells after 1 h ischemia followed by 3 h of reperfusion. Nitric oxide production in hepatocytes was increased twofold by quercetin treatment when compared with I/R group. Histopathology studies showed markedly diminished hepatocellular injury in quercetin -pretreated rats during the hepatic I/R. Thus, it may be concluded that quercetin can significant protection from necrosis and apoptosis in I/R injury with nitric oxide and plasma alanine transaminases (ALT) production and it has anti-ROS effect in ischemic reperfusion.